There is a good reason not to buy anyone this summer.

There is a widely recognised thought that players who move from one country to another take a year to settle down.

There is another widely recognised thought – that to have success clubs must buy and sell players like mad during the summer.

Of course the transfer market is part of football, but each year it is hyped up even further by journalists and bloggers, all anxious to fill up their quota of column inches. So they all go to any lengths to publish any old tripe.

Both these fundamentals of football (that you don’t have to buy players every transfer window, and that players take a year to settle in a new league) are conveniently ignored by the Anti-Arsenal Arsenal and their camp-followers, to the effect that this alliance has managed to mount a highly effective but simplistic campaign. The campaign suggests that the only way to chart the success of a club is to measure the number of highly expensive transfers that the club has completed this summer.

The AAA and journalists alike like this, because it is simple. So simple that it is an insult to the intellect of the average supporter, and insulting the average supporter is exactly what the AAA and their followers, plus the journalists like to do – although for different reasons.

However there is another way of looking at football at the start of each season, a way that is intellectually much more robust.

It goes like this:

1. Players who have moved from other leagues take their first season to adjust (as noted above). At Arsenal we might look at Pires, Henry and Bergkamp as examples. There have been many more.

2. Players don’t stay the same from one year to the next. A developing player in one year might well be the brilliant player of next year.

3. Players who have suffered a range of injuries can take varying amounts of time to come back to their best.

4. Young players take varying amounts of time to come to their best.

5. Clubs which are well run are forever producing brilliant new players.

6. Players do not stay as they are from one year to the next, nor to they invariably decline.

7. Not every player brought in as a significant transfer turns out to be good.

8. Transfer speculation is unsettling for players already at the club who might fear that their places in the team are in danger.

These points are in fact the reverse of the AAA and journalist propaganda which says that only new purchases are worthwhile.

Of course some new purchases are worthwhile and shine immediately. Robin VP’s move to Manchester United last season is a case in point. This coming season, one year on into his 30s he may not be quite so good – only time will tell.

Robin VP shone both because he had just come into the form of his life, and because he was staying in England. Both most players move leagues, and this is where they can take a year or two to settle down.

Arsenal may well be trying the alternative tactic – of developing what they have got.

I must say that it does show the cleverness of the AAA attack on this strategy. The alternative strategy of buy-buy-buy has been so successful that it has taken in many fans who might well otherwise comprehend that there is an alternative.

But just because it is a clever tactic does not mean it is right. Consider for example…

Ramsey – largely derided and laughed at by the AAA and many journalists, but now coming into brilliant form. It is likely that he will be a most remarkable asset to the club this coming season

Giroud – true we have been playing lesser teams in the warm ups, but his play in these pre-season games shows he is becoming a true second season man – a man who has a house, who has team mates, who knows what is going on; a man who takes a huge step forward in his second season. The notion that he should be sold at this very moment is decidedly odd.

Rosicky – have we seen Rosicky play as well as he did towards the end of last season? And he is playing even better in the pre-season games.

Sagna – dependable always he now has shown he can play centre half as well.

Mertersacker and Koscielny clicked in the latter part of last season, a solid and dependable pairing.

Wilshere – has not seen a proper pre-season before – this time he has, this time he will hit the ground running the first match, and remember he can play defensive midfield, attacking midfield and number 10 – sometimes all three at once.

Gnabry – Zelalem – it wouldn’t be Arsenal without a new star coming through and this time we have two of them. The AAA’s answer – if you think we are going to beat Man U and Chelsea with these kids you are a fucking total idiot. But then, I am not suggesting that they play every game just as I never expected Cesc to play every game at the start. Nor did Jack.

Theo – developed last season and started to find his way to play the Henry role but with a centre forward in front of him. Henry and Pires played the game together, this is a different version with Giroud changing positions to allow Theo to come in.

Santi Cazorla – has had his first season and he virtually undermines my theory that players take a year to develop. Imagine him in year two.

Podolski – virtually written off by the media – I think he will develop in year two as well as Giroud.

These then are the benefits of not signing. I am not, I reiterate, saying that we should not sign anyone as the weeks progress. But I am saying that there is no need to buy into the fanatical vision that if we don’t buy we can’t win.

189 comments to There is a good reason not to buy anyone this summer.

No.8 point may well be so but apparently some of the team have been quite vocal in their delight at the thought of quality additions to the squad. Often morale is boosted by the arrival of a top player. And so if none appear perhaps this morale will vanish.

Also a few injuries and the squad may be too small to compensate. Rosicky is not a full season player and Jack’s had his problems too.

Arsenal will probably buy a few players, after all what’s the point of having 70 million and not spend some of it? Businesses usually reinvest. Of course they may just use the money to improve the burgers.

True,all that…but we need a proper defensive mid-fielder not a make-shift..Fellaini has been In England long enough and we need a centre back,Ashley Williams has also been in England.Finally we need a goal scorer we can rely on…Suarez.I don’t put so much trust in Giroud tho he’s in fine form at the moment…Brillaint post..keep feeding us with the goodies

Arsenal need to sign AT LEAST(the word with an emphasis) three(3) QUALITY players to add to this group of present with no-one leaving to stand a chance of challenging for the title. The wait should be over

There is a lot to be said of consistency and so far the players that have left are really only squad players. Look at what has happened so far and who could replace them.
GK – Mannone has left meaning Martinez has stepped up to 3rd choice, I see no harm done there.
Defence – we have seen djourou squillaci and santos depart. I expect miquel and bellerin to step up and possibly boateng. Although I do expect we will make a signing here due to the current injuries to kos tv5 and monreal may be even two signings as the left side is weakened now.
Holding midfield – we have seen denilson and coquelin depart. I am certain that yennaris and aneke can easily replace those two. However the injuries to frimpong and diaby are really disappointing so I expect one or may be 2 signings here.
Attack (midfield/strikers) sofar we have only lost arshavin but it seems nailed on that we will let gervinho park chamakh and bendtner leave. We will replace them with sanogo eisfeld gnabry zelalem akpom. We also have ryo and campbell back at the club after loan spells so technically we are far stronger already. However I expect one world class signing here may be a 2nd if cesc make it known he is leaving barca.

So that’s it, IMO we would be stronger already were it not for the 3 defensive and 2 holding midfield injuries. This is why I find it confusing that all the hype is about signing an attacking player when it is clear to everyone that it is the defensive area of the team that most needs sorting.

So Man U spending big every year since dot, Blackburn, City, Chelsea and winning the title is an anomaly? And us refusing to spend and winning jack shite in 8 years is also an anomaly.

Jeez, how r£tarded do you need to be to propagate this BS???

We need min 4 players, 2 20m+ and 2 squad to compete this year. But Wenger sees the world as you do – an anomaly. And guess what? He will keep being proved wrong and until he leaves or changes his mind, we won’t win anything.

You are all a bit like king canute. So very sure, so very stupid and you’re going to drown.

Delete this post, like you do the rest. Don’t care. This post is just plain bonkers.

Are we a successful side? 0 trophies in years therefore not successful!

What stratergy have we used previously? The one you champion above.

Therefore has that strategy made us a success….NO!

Should we change strategy? Yes unless the status quo is acceptable which I have realized it is to the Arsene Knows best group.

I am a fan of the club not of a player or Wenger (as distinct from the Club) I don’t care if we sign no body but this season is going to be a real test. There is money available, they buy or don’t and if they don’t succeed either way then Wenger should go.

AAA? Jesus most the people you class these to be are the ones who follow The Arsenal home and away across Europe, but just do not wish to full for the same bullshit Arsene and Gazidis spiel every other week.

Just because we say Wenger is a finished article does not mean no one loves Arsenal any less or more. What rubbish.

Having only 16 outfield senior players is what we call short on numbers. +1 if you include Sanogo. -2 if you take into account TVM and Monreal’s injury.
AAA might be baying for blood, but that does not mean we do not need any signings at all.

Byron
Thanks for explaining life for us I’m off to find a team who has won something I am oblivious not a true supporter like you I am one of those supporters who felt beating newcastle on the last day of the season to finish above spuds. For the sixteenth. Season on the trot was 50 times. Better than winning the coca cola. Cup . And like the idiot I am. I have been enjoying myself every time I watch the arsenal. Play. Yes even the 8-2 drubbing because I took the positive from the true fans who sang for 25 minutes non. Stop WE LOVE YOU ARSENAL WE. DO

No signings to this squad and they get cut a very long way adrift. We have let loads of players go, but even that said, I would not be in the least surprised if AW signs nobody. He is an obsessive with a point to prove, even our CEO cannot get through to him. This pursuit of the likes of Suarez is all a smoke screen to get no such player. If we get anyone, it will be someone like logic remy, cheap , French and only scored a couple of goals last season.

Hello Tony
An article written to goad a few so-called AAA fans methinks! So having been goaded; sure, your 8 points are all valid, to a degree. But they don’t add up to making a convincing case, at least not if you are a fan who wants Arsenal to seriously compete for a trophy this coming season. I’m much more optimistic about the crop of young players Mr.Wenger has at the club now than he did, say, 3,4, 5 seasons ago but part of the problem then was he didn’t buy good enough senior players to surround the younger talents in a team that otherwise might have made more of the chances of success that occasionally beckoned. And then of course, partly because they starved of success or any prospect of it, both the young players and the better senior players left. That’s what the new lucrative commercial deals and high ticket prices are for Mr Wenger – to help you create a squad made up of strong young developing talent coupled with top quality experienced stars whose combined abilities achieve mutual trophy winning success, instead of the endless repeated petering-out we’ve experienced the last 8 years or so. Sure, it may still take a season or two but the earlier you start getting in better experienced players, the quicker the new players will bed in and the quicker we’ll start to challenge again. No guarantees I know but it’s better than just waiting another season and then another season and essentially never really starting. Anyway, I simply don’t believe you guys at Untold don’t want Arsene to buy some better players this summer. It’s one thing to argue to be patient, it’s another to argue it may be better not to buy at all. I don’t believe you really mean it deep down. If anything, it undermines your hard-fought credibility.

Unbelievable what you write Attwood. Do you bother to read it back to yourself to ensure that it all makes sense.

You go on to list the “benefits” of not signing anyone, then you say that you are not saying that he should not buy anyone.

But before all that you write “However there is another way of looking at football at the start of each season, a way that is intellectually much more robust.”

So at the end of it all, you really do not have a valid viewpoint or opinion on Arsenal’s transfer business at all. As long as Wenger is in charge and whatever he does, you just roll with it, wake up each morning and write articles such as this to support whatever he does.

What did you write after he spent £48,300,000 for season 2012/13
What did you write after he spent £54,150,000 for season 2011/12

And your final comment? “Besides which, knowing my luck, having written this we’ll probably sign a megastar tomorrow”

Brilliant, you’ve managed to cover all bases. You obviously wasn’t in the queue when God was giving out opinions.

We need to strengthen, I say this with full acknowledgement of the quality of the playing staff that we have, not to denigrate them. The critical areas for me are the defence (especially the left side, given developments these past couple days)and up top. I am optimistic we will sign players, most likely not the usual suspects. I always was, but right now am more hopeful than earnest.

Finally someone with the rocks to stand up to the buy buy buy mongers. QPR bought almost every mercenary available pls someone remind me where are they now? Newcastle virtually bought a new team last January and they nearly got relegated. I am not against buying but this is the first time in a looong time that we will have an Arsenal team go from one season to the next with virtually the same core players in their prime something other big teams always seem to enjoy. In the last seven seasons we have seen key (not fringe) players leave at a rate that would send any ordinary side down the hatch!!Pires & Ashley Cole in 2006, Henry 2007, Hleb, Flamini & Lassana Diarra all in 2008, Adebayor & Kolo Toure 2009, Nasri, Clicy & Fabragas 2010, Van Persie & Alex Song 2012. Now this post season, journalists have to make up stories about Carzola. Ironically this could be the perfect time to buy 3 or at least 2 really good players (for smart money not crazy money)to add to a side that has confidence, belief and high team spirit and coming off a remarkable recovery to snatch 4th last season

Eight years lost in also ran have set the mind set for the trust in Wenger brigade. This article reflects this by pre –
empting Wenger not buying a blue chip player.
Wake up! Where did we finish when we got the one fully fit season out of Van the man ?
So to want more we should purchase those players that we had (when we were winning silver and finishing in the top two ) and sold off but failed to replace.
Simple. A solid defence, a hard spoiler in the middle and a 25+ goal scorer.
A formula that we had once !

The points you made are perfectly valid especially as the team/squad finished last season very strongly and even without additions should develop further this season.

However, I am not sure that that progress would be sufficient to make us title challengers this season, given the probability of injuries and bad ref decisions. To minimize the effect of injuries and to continue the excellent build up of the squad some reinforcement is sensible and it appears that AW et al are working to that end. The planned attack by the AAA depressives on AW’s transfer policy is one of their more despicable campaigns.

Finally someone with the rocks to stand up to the buy buy buy mongers. QPR bought almost every mercenary available pls someone remind me where are they now? Newcastle virtually bought a new team last January and they nearly got relegated. I am not against buying but this is the first time in a looong time that we will have an Arsenal team go from one season to the next with virtually the same core players in their prime something other big teams always seem to enjoy. In the last seven seasons we have seen key (not fringe) players leave at a rate that would send any ordinary side down the hatch!!Pires & Ashley Cole in 2006, Henry 2007, Hleb, Flamini, gilberto & Lassana Diarra all in 2008, Adebayor & Kolo Toure 2009, Nasri, Clicy & Fabragas 2011, Van Persie & Alex Song 2012. Now this post season, journalists have to make up stories about Carzola. Ironically this could be the perfect time to buy 3 or at least 2 really good players (for smart money not crazy money)to add to a side that has confidence, belief and high team spirit and coming off a remarkable recovery to snatch 4th last season

the problem of arsenal is not only bidding for a big star. can arsenal afford their wages?
arsenal has been making series of bidding without making conclusions, are they joking with us? or making mockery of the fans that are believing? or deceiving the fans? well it a pity that a club can’t make concrete decisions as at when maters most. they are not a serious team to buy and win trophies. they are happy with their position in the EPL. Let see how they will perform this season. gunners 4 life.

This article at least provides some balance against those who simply go on about how we need x new players costing at least £y million each to compete. That’s it – just spend the money on somebody so long as we keep up with certain other clubs in terms of numbers in.

However to say we can manage without any reinforcemens is perhaps stretching it a bit. Is it really good enough to bank on improvement alone when injuries and suspensions have bitten us badly in recent years? There are clearly one ot two positions where we are short on numbers with the necessary quality and experience. After all the build up about being able to spend, I can’t believe that Wenger would risk not addressing them.

We do need defensive cover and we definitely need an out and out beast of a DM. I am sick to the back teeth seeing Offensive players like Rosicky, Ramsey, Denilson, Wilshere, Arteta, Diaby having to adapt to DM duties. It makes me want to scream. When we’ve had something close like Song, the damn player thinks he’s an attacking midfielder all the time. Add to this the excrutiating sight of Vermaelen thinking he’s a damn attacking midfielder too like that God Awful Gallas before him, I conclude it’s all to do with Wenger’s whacky tactics.

For years now I have known it doesn’t matter who our attackers are, anything they produce will be cancelled out by the defence. With an overall look at seasons you will see this has been the case since 2006. If we buy Messi, Rooney, Higuain it will make no difference.

Defenders who remain solely defensive throughout the season will produce 12 points extra a season. A beast of a DM who ignores Wenger’s instructions to adapt into an attacking midfielder will produce an extra 8 points a season.

So I want Williams and Fellaini because I feel they have what we need and both are proven in the EPL. Vermaelen is out the whole season, you know this from past dealings with our medical dept. Back in 3 weeks means 3 months, back by Christmas means next season.

I don’t get how by wanting to win you become an AAA? I didn’t enjoy the 8-2 loss to united so I am not a fan according to some people ?

Why does being an arsenal fan mean you either want Wenger gone at all costs or you want him to stay even if the team doesn’t reach the level they should ?

If you want Wenger to stay at all cost are you an Arsenal Fan or a Wenger fan? I think the resources are there (at last) to compete for the title and if we don’t the manager should be fired call me what you will but that doesnt mean I am not a true supporter.

Can we please have a (strong) dislike button so that we can just convey our true feelings to these fellows. They write such stupid stuff that you don’t even want to argue with them. They really need to know where they stand.

I object very strongly to the contention on this site that if you disagree with the God Wenger you are anti- Arsenal. I have been an Arsenal fan for 55 years- a lot longer than you- and have followed them through some gruesome times. Wenger is a remarkable nan but he is ploughing a furrow which is not advancing the club and Gazidis has stoked up fan expectation by suggesting significant transfer activity.
You are right that all is not disaster if we don’t buy anyone, as we have a decent squad,although one stretched to the maximum by the departure of some extremely disappointing signings,some of whom are still difficult to budge. But Arsenal should be challenging for the title not setting 4th place as the zenith and this squad has no chance of challenging for the title. Failing to sign top players will demotivate our top players and make them vulnerable to enquiries from better and more ambitious teams.
Gazidis has stoked fans’ expectation up to a degree where serious disillusion will set in if we fail to sign top players. If that top player is Suarez ,there is a whole debate about if a great club should sign someone of his character, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt. But please don’t think it is only AAAs who want the team improved. Almost all fans I know believe that to regenerate and motivate the squad, quality signings are necessary,notwithstanding the injuries we are suffering already..
If Wenger mismanaged this transfer window as badly as the chaotic one two years ago when we lost any chance of the title by the end of August and subsided to the most shameful defeat in my 55 years as a Gooner ,he will get little forgiveness from the vast majority of Arsenal fans,most of whom love the club just as much as you do

If I hadn’t have read who wrote the above article by,
“TONY ATTWOOD”I would have thought it was,Arsene Wenger,you sound just like him,it sounds just like an excuse for not spending money which he’s so very good at,Tony you carn’t get away from facts,and they are,the top three teams in the Premier Division are, the big spenders,top players don’t play for teams that have tight fisted Managers,and Directors if they want their services,they have to pay for them,I have been an Arsenal Supporter since 1946,and that’s a long time,I have seen the great Arsenal teams,and players,
but unless,things change soon at the Emirates,Arsenal will always be an average side.

Finally someone with the rocks to stand up to the buy buy buy mongers. QPR bought almost every mercenary available pls someone remind me where are they now? Newcastle virtually bought a new team last January and they nearly got relegated. I am not against buying but this is the first time in a looong time that we will have an Arsenal team go from one season to the next with virtually the same core players in their prime something other big teams always seem to enjoy. In the last seven seasons we have seen key (not fringe) players leave at a rate that would send any ordinary side down the hatch!!Pires & Ashley Cole in 2006, Henry 2007, Hleb, Flamini, gilberto & Lassana Diarra all in 2008, Adebayor & Kolo Toure 2009, Nasri, Clicy & Fabragas 2011, Van Persie & Alex Song 2012. Now this post season, journalists have to make up stories about Carzola. Ironically this could be the perfect time to buy 3 or at least 2 really good players (for smart money not crazy money)to add to a side that has confidence, belief and high team spirit and coming off a remarkable recovery to snatch 4th last season

Oh Theo Theo, you should stick to commenting on Le Grove whilst desperately trying to get your comment “1st” or “top 4” which seems to be some sort of a competition over there. Very sad. You are fairly aggressive on this site compared to when you comment on Le Grove. How come? Especially when we are looking at the positives here on Untold.

players take the first season to adjust, fact? and is henry in that list of first season failures? the guy that scored 26 in his first season, ending as the clubs top scorer? not scoring in your first 8games makes you a season failure? i would have thought it only makes you a ‘first 8games’ failure.
how about aguero,chamakh,yaya toure,d.silva,caz,benteke,p.cisse,n.jelavic, etc did they all fail in their 1st seasons?

I’m not an AAA – by a long shot, buty I do see the need or strengthening. The last time Arsenal won the PL, we has 6! players in the team of the year. I cannot see us having anywhere that number if you look at our current players vs other teams’ players.
We are currently witnessing a failed long-term strategy. A couple of years ago, Arsenal played scintillating football with a young team earning praise from all over. Although we didn’t win any trophies, we still attracted new fans. The last 2 seasons, our football is not as entertaining nor are we winning. New supporters are typically drawn to a club for a reason; winning, entertainment, a special player or a special event. These days, on a world basis, ManU, Chelsea, ManC will typically attract supporters.
Another issue, anyone else notice that Diaby’s squad number is now 24? Does that imply a new player coming in or is Diaby on his way out?

I was looking at this the other day when it was announce Santos had joined Flamengo. Santos cost us £6m, and played 33 games for us, scoring 3 goals in the process. Of course the bulk of those 33 games were substitute appearances. Andy Carroll cost Liverpool £35m, and scored 6 goals in 44 league games. If you add cups such as CC the number of games/goals for Carroll go up to 58/11 respectively. Now its plain obvious that Santos, a bit-part ‘rubbish’ defender, has better stats than Carroll’s, an England striker who played all the time for one of the top sides in England. I don’t think we ever heard any of the derisory comments that were used to describe Santos being directed towards Carroll. But there you have it, facts show that Santos was the better player between the two. Moral of the story is don’t believe all the crap you hear and read in the papers. Oh, and price doesn’t necessarily equate to player’s talent.

AL – really how stupid are you? Santos better than Carroll????
Comparing a fat, lazy, shirt-swapping disgrace of a signing to somebody who was mostly injured and actually tried. No fan of Carroll, but seriously what was going through your head???

Ian Jenkinson – it’s called free speech, my friend – not popular round here is it? I get a bit aggressive on this site as a whole post about how we don’t have to sign anybody is a little bit stupid quite frankly. In fact it’s beyond a little bit stupid – it’s insane. All of our competition have already strengthened their teams, we have CHOSEN not to so far.

@byron — the problem is your starting premise; win or bust. If you tie success to winning things, then you are always doomed to disappointment.

For all of the hysteria about how long its gone between winning things, its the third time I’ve gone through a drought of this length or more; hell I’ve had to wait 17 years to see us win the title.

City for all their millions, won nothing last year. Its guaranteed that no matter how much they spend, one of City and Chelsea cannot win the title next year; and quite possibly neither of them.

Nothing is certain. I think we will bring in a quality striker at the very least, not because I dislike Giroud (and I think he will be better this year), but we need the depth. We have the money to spend, and there are areas we can improve.

The problem is, we could do that and every other suggestion thats been put forward and STILL not win anything next year. What do you do then?

I admit that I take a different perspective on success. If I walk out of the ground: tired, hoarse, and exhilarated, have had a couple of hours of: shouting, singing, rode the emotional roller-coaster that is a football match and for a while, been part of something larger than me; that is successful.

Luckily in recent years, I have also been able to watch some of the best football in the world, and more often than not; we’ve won.

“All of our competition have already strengthened their teams, we have CHOSEN not to so far.”

And you are not being a ‘little bit stupid’ here are you?

Frustrated as you may be with the lack of arrivals at this point, to suggest that the club has chosen not to is plain ridiculous. There are enough rumours and indications around to show that there is activity taking place, but just because nobody has walked through the door yet doesn’t mean that isn’t going to happen.

More level headed types than you want to see quality reinforecements for next seaaon, but undertand it isn’t simply a race to get them done before other teams.

Just tell me how can you say that we have got 70 million to spend and not 50 nor 90. If you can prove this number I bet you will be considered a genius for telling us the origin of a number which never existed.

I’ve read drivel on here before but this takes some beating. And the funny thing is there are lunatics on here who agree. So you are saying we sign no other players? And go in with this mediocre heap who beat teams in pre season who are not worthy to play in the confrence league. Whatever it is you are smoking just stop.

Abhishek – >>FACEPALM<< – it's doesn't matter if it's 50, 70 or 90 – it's money the club has (check the Report & Accounts) in cash surplus. Next year the puma deal kicks in and the TV money increases by 25m.

Wages have gone down with the clearout of the overpaid dross that we signed on the cheap.

So income up, expenditure down. What's going to happen. Muppet.

So if he has 50m to spend he still won't spend it!! That's the point you idiot.

Don’t bother wasting your time oh theo, these clowns would be happy whatever lord wenger does…the man could commit murder yet tony n walter would make you believe him to be the messiah.
This team is going to be ripped to pieces next season just watch. I would then like to see these mugs who bacl this shambolic manager

@ Tony – I had a bit of a chuckle too, as you knew what you were doing with this post. There are definitely no flies on you!

I genuinely thought that people knew Monreal was injured at the Confederations Cup hence why Iggy is being played at leftback at the minute to really familiarise himself. That’s why I say we need a defender to join the ranks now too as well as striker. At the moment in terms of versatility we have Jenkinson who can play RB, LB & CB, Sagna who can play RB & CB, Iggy who can play CB & LB.
Igg

Some great points. We clearly need to strengthen the squad, inevitable injuries and suspensions, there is money available and reports suggest we have been after some top forwards. But Wenger has to be careful, this is a group with clearly a great team spirit….could say a Suarez or a Rooney damage that with some of their antics? I can think of several players who may not be over pleased with a Suarez arrival. as for strengthening, by all means do so, but lets keep the likes of Szez, Ramsey, our home grown players in the picture. Someone like Fellaini may be a very good player…but do we already have someone about to take the leap to greatness? Then there is the likes of Chuba, Ryo, Zelalem as mentioned, maybe not ready yet but surely worth developing. As for a striker, yes, we maybe need someone, but worth remembering we currently have 4 players who may get close to or exceed 20 goals next season. We can develop Sanogo – maybe initially into an impact player. We can sharpen up goal scoring for the likes of Ramsey and Wilshere, Arteta will get a few goals, especially with pens and set pieces, PGMOL allowing. Kos and Vermaelen have also been known to score the odd goal or two as well. A striker would be nice, but I wouldn’t be paying £37m for Higuain when Real initially agreed £23m. Looks like we need another defender, unless possibly an increasingly influential Steve Bould can have Miquel ready for action, and a midfield that can give a new defender good protection, something that maybe has not always been the case in recent years. We can strengthen partly by signings, but also by development, coaching, and also fitness – read a few weeks earlier we bought in another Irish Rugby Union guy to help out with fitness and conditioning.

Because it will be spent. Just because there are no headline signings today doesn’t mean there won’t be any. Even you must realise that transfers are complex transactions that can take time for a myriad of reasons. This isn’t Football Manager where you bang a wad on the table and the deal is done. You should forget the media-generated headline numbers of £50 million, £70 million for fees anyway because the total salary budget is much more important.

We aren’t all AKB’s on here, just as we aren’t AAA’s or anything else. There is an element of provocation in the article headline which you seem to have fallen for hook line and sinker.

In the unlikely situation that nothing has changed by the start of the season then questions like yours might have some validity. Meanwhile stay out of the sun for a while and chill out.

The thing is that you talk as if all is lost and gone right now at this moment in time. You talk as if no player can be bought any more from the next second. If you would read the article you would understand the message.
The core is there to have a team that can fight like hell for a result. The players we bought last season are probably going to improve a lot this season. So the core should be strong. We see some youngsters making huge steps forward like Gnabry, Zelalem who could shine in League cup games.

And if we could buy a few decent players at REASONABLE AND AFFORDABLE prices would be fine. And with reasonable and affordable I mean reasonable and affordable for a club that can only spend their money once and has no sugar daddy to spend 50M and then see their player being rubbish.

Now if you feel better by acting like the little child inside feel free but don’t expect me to take it too serious.

There is still plenty of time this summer for your “win/win” scenario. I just try to enjoy whatever Arsenal brings to my door. Some good, some bad.

But you know what: you nor I will change a bit about how the future will look like. The difference is that you risk damaging your health for it, while I will not allow anything to risk my health. I know it is far too costly to play with.

Walter,all is not lost yes… Eermm for the past 8 seasons we have been doing the same thing with similar consequences. I think we are starting to see a pattern. Oh what’s this higuain has signed for napoli…well. Done u idiot wenger. Now go and overspend on the racist.

I agree with most of what you are saying, but differ on the need for more attacking options. Giroud meets the role of an out and out front man right now, but when he is out we have to compromise with Podolski or Walcott, neither of whom are naturals in that position.

With the departures or likely departures of Arshavin, Chamakh, Bendtner and Gervinho (all justified imo) it leaves us short in this department. Sure others can and should chip in with goals, but another striker is a must for me.

Agree we do need another option Stroller, part of this maybe increased fitness and coaching with Podolski, but just a bit wary of those 3 we are linked with. Higuain would be good, but can see why they will not pay such a price. Rooney – great player, but for how much longer – cannot see him coming here anyway. Suarez – as Arseblog says, has a bit of a “bitey racist” thing going on. Unless of course we are looking elsewhere?

So we have a new lecturer in ‘Oh Theo Theo’ to bring us deluded fans back to reality as we are foolish enough to believe in the team that finished the second half of last season strongest.

I applaud everyone who have engaged the keyboard warriors and “Internet saviours of Arsenal”. You are the true heroes! I have the utmost respect for you for being able to keep their simplistic and one directional argument going:

– No trophies in 8 years

– It is due to Wenger/Gazidis/Kroenke not buying players because they are tightwads who are busy lining their own pockets

– Wenger must “splash the cash” on players RIGHT NOW so that we can win trophies or their will be hell to pay!

If anyone has seen any other arguments/points from the AAA whiners, please let me know.

To those whose lives have been made miserable by Arsenal’s lack of trophies (due to refusal to buy players), go and support other players-buying and trophies-winning teams. Life is too short! What if Arsenal never wins another trophy in your life time? I don’t think you want to be miserable for the rest of your life. Please support other teams that are run the way you like!

My fellow AKBs (as we are denigratingly called but as we proudly bear), just scroll past the repetitive, ridiculous and usually long winded statements. They are not worth your time. Life is too short!

Mr. Attwood,
Tell Theo and Jack – both of whom have called the prospect of new signings exciting – that we should stand pat. This oh-so-clickable title and (despite fudgings and hedgings to touch all bases) its intention to lower expectations is actually reckless. Theo and Jack are lobbying for a quality of signings that meet their desire and expectations. Arteta has also chimed in on this a few days ago. By legitimating no to minimalist thinking (in the name of countering your favorite hobgoblins and smearing loyal fans with higher expectations with your offensive McCarthyite labels) you are greasing the skids that will lead, once again, to the departures of our best – Theo, Jack, etc. – and will show the youngsters what it means when the club so broadly lets players and fans think that big quality signings are in the offing. Reckless, Mr. Atwood, reckless. The part of Walter that reminds us that there is still more time – plus the historical reality that we have made brilliant last minute signings in the past – is something to value in this exercise. From a marketing standpoint, congratulations for a highly-clickable title. From a helping the team’s prospects, by going against what our best players are calling for (unless you are that tone deaf), you are being reckless in your providing cover for the board and management. It is cold day in hades when you ever get out in front of the club in a transfer period and actually advocate for any specific signing. Better, of course, spend reader’s time on your trumpetings of the advent of the new Giroud (so why bother with a quality striker) and the second coming of Jesus in young Zelalem. Why not ever dare to actually win by pairing a quality buy or three with the true potential shown by some of our young gunners? Why always to pose this as either/or? Why not both? To pretend both are neither necessary nor desirable is to stay conservatively close to the seeming non-activity of the club in this moment. But it is ultimately boring and slavish and reckless. You are playing fast and loose with the players who come out and call for the opposite of your cheeky headline. Or are Jack and Theo and Arteta also AAA? Do you know something about this club’s inner aspirations that they do not?

Bootoomee – so in summary, in your longer post than mine (windbag?) – you offer the following: “If you don’t like 8 years of mediocrity, fuck off and support City or Chavs?”

See, that’s what we’re down to now – AKBs are stuck in a bit of rough place, having invested 8 years in a false messiah they can’t let go. It’s the equivalent of when my boy sticks his fingers in his ears and goes “I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you!”

We were promised that leaving Highbury would lead to the promised land of European domination. We were lied to.

@Oh theo theo
You are guilty of what you accuse Walter of doing, attacking the messenger, and not the message. Well, I dont think Walter is attacking you but you just attacked me for stating facts as they are. I didn’t make up those numbers, they are there for all to see(those who can see obviously, and equally have a brain to interpret what they are seeing). Whether you want to continue believing Carroll was better than Santos is up to you, but the cold hard facts on the table suggest otherwise.

So what are you going to do about your miserable life that is brought about by Arsenal’s lack of trophies other than come here to share your sorrow? Come on, you have all the answers, please tell us. Note that it can’t can’t be what you have been professing because we all know that all your bloviating have zero effect on the decision makers.

I would suggest that you find a bucket and shed your tears into it, you miserable soul, but since you are so smart, you may have a better idea.

BTW, I don’t have to do anything. I love Arsenal FC as it is!

P.S.
Can you provide a link to promise of Emirates stadium leading to European domination please? No conjectures, it has to be hard fact statement of promise for a named Arsenal bigwig. I will add the title of liar to your various epithets if you fail to do this (see how that feels?).

@UK bit selective about Henry there. It actually took him 2 years to settle. On its own 26 looks good, but in context: 26, 22 (settles), 32, 32, 39, 30, 33. Seems simple to me.

@Oh Theo Theo, where to begin? In order through the posts.

First one: Its about sustainable spending VS money pumped in. Not going to disagree we need a couple of players, but there are 5 weeks to go; so we’ll see.

the rest? United outspend us, sustainably and always have. Even at our best, they won 5 titles to our 3. Nothing you can do about it. Blackburn? Had money pumped in, won one title. Where are they now?
City? For all their millions; 1 title, 1 FA cup (and wait for the squeals of ‘unfair’ again when the CL groups get announced).
Chelsea? They are a billion in the hole, and their last two league finishes are 6th and 3rd (and they only got that on the last day).

Second one; Highest prices is bollocks and is a myth the press use to wind us up. Season tickets? Game by game it’ll cost you more to sit in the Shed End than either the North Bank or Clock End. It’ll cost you more in the Kop. Hell, since they raised their prices, you’ll pay as much to sit in either end of the shithole up the road, and thats without CL football. The press love kicking us. We pay more upfront, so we are an easy target; do the maths.

Third one: United 95-96. they lose out in 94-95, promote the Nevilles, Butt, Beckham and Scholes and do the double; just saying.

4th one — nothing to refute.

5th Efficiency. £3 mil for an OK left back VS £35 mil for an over rated striker; that was the point.

6th. Bringing the press in? you’ve been a fan as long as I have. The rules:
1). Arsenal say nothing until a transfer is done (and pretty much bugger all afterwards)
2). Surprisingly the papers make shit up. It seems mostly to wind Arsenal fans up.

7th. See above about Liverpool Echo.

The rest its all about getting signings in early (which we did last year), but I’d rather get the players we want even if it takes time.

Both strikers on the rumour list we will have to prise out of clubs that don’t want to sell them. You’ve already pointed out that the only way to do that quickly is stuff a fat wad of cash on the table A La Chelsea and City. The problem is (highlighted by the prices you have already quoted) is that £70 mil doesn’t go far if you take that approach. (and £70 mil is apparently about what we can safely spend).

In the end, it will have to be a patient summer, and moaning about how we should have done it already helps no one. Signings will come, because we have the money and everyone knows that, along with where we can improve. The time for pitchforks and torches is Sept 1st; not now.

I have never seen a more complacent bunch of fans in one chatroom anywhere. Don’t you guys realize you are actively destroying what you pretend to support. If you were ever put on trial any of you, you’d all be going with the Nurnberg defense. It makes me sick to think that the club I love, is held ransom to oafs like you.

@Bootoomee 1:49pm
Agree. Think some are already skipping certain commenters’ posts on here. I mean who wants to continuously hear about 8 years, the board, or splash the cash splash the cash splash the cash like a repeating song? They have an amazing ability these individuals; I couldn’t possibly keep repeating the same things for how long, 7, 8 years? Unbelievable.

You don’t seem to have a problem with constantly repeating the same mistakes, and expecting different results for ten years though. So you know maybe once in a while how about you just change it up a bit and actually listen for once? Just a thought.

Theo, dude, you should really chill out. No sense in raising your blood pressure over a game.

Oh and by the way, how did spending above 50m a piece for city and chelsea last summer work for them? Were they not also double-digit points off the leaders? One team out of 20 can win; that means there will be many that don’t spend and don’t win it, and many which do spend and STILL DON’T WIN IT. Money is no guarantee of anything, and not buying players is no guarantee that the team will not improve. Man city bought all sorts of players and did worse than the year before; see, examples are great to make your point when you look at isolated facts without the whole picture!

Please note that I have not inserted any personal opinion about whether we should or shouldn’t buy players (although I think the preferred choice is obvious).

I’m not going to make predictions either way, because I’m a doctor by profession and not a fortune teller, but I trust that whatever the club is doing is for the best and I also believe, despite thinking myself as a smart person, that they know far better than me what is best. You don’t have to do that, but please stop and personally insulting people on here. If you want to come back with a ‘well they were insulting me’ I can only comment that my daughter says that when she gets in trouble at school and she is 8. You’re not an eight year old girl are you? Or are you a man? Then act like it. Be respectful of others and even if they don’t give it back remain restrained and classy.

Nice work ,Tony ,guys – this was way too easy .All you had to do was to agitate the waters and they were all suckered in. No bait required .No sweat required .Lots of gill-flapping and easy swatting !
For some reason it reminded me of this video .

@Theo Theo, on the season tickets. Sadly, everything is based on the Guardian article (the first one is just copied and pasted Guardian numbers.)

The problem is that the Guardian barely does any research (either just calls the clubs and asks what to you charge?, or picks the first numbers they can find on the website). Because it is the guardian, people just believe it without looking into what they are saying.

Look on your first link. Arsenal charged us £51 a game to sit in the north bank last year apparently, but at the same time, gave away tickets for 2 FA cup games and 4 CL games for free.

The article misses out so much detail about what actually is happening that it is meaningless except to kick Arsenal fans

@Stuart as far as I can tell, the difference is between how much cash we have at the time the report comes out, and how much we can afford to spend.

Basically, some of the £130 mil is season ticket cash that we need to spend on other things, and I think there is a condition in the bonds for the stadium that we have to have at least so much in reserve at all times (but this is really Swiss Ramble territory, so not sure).

Wenger won’t buy a striker who puts Giroud on the bench in World Cup year. He’s corrupt that way, you know. He will bench a Rosicky, an Arshavin, a Walcott and he will play a Wilshere into the ground though. That’s why he’s corrupt, because he puts French interests first rather than being completely non-tribal.Giroud scoring goals against fourth tier teams means nothing. Jay Simpson would have scored goals against that lot. He was allowed all of three first team appearances in the Carling Cup. The one time I saw him live, he scored two, hit the bar with his only other effort. He looked great against second-tier opposition. Apparently, he was no better than that himself. So why does Giroud scoring goals against third rate opposition mean anything, eh??If you listen carefully to what Wenger says, it is absolutely clear that he sees his life’s work as that of a developmental coach. He expects Arsenal fans to pay top whack for him to run a football university, whilst paying those students the salaries of experienced professionals. Strange ethical standpoint, that.I have no problems him doing that as a life’s work. I don’t have any problem with him doing that at Arsenal if the prices reflect that and the rest of the fans are conducive to that. I don’t think they are as it happens and the prices certainly DON’T reflect that. As a result, I’m NOT happy him doing that at Arsenal. I think he should not sign a new contract and then I think he should go somewhere to set up a new football university at a club that would see that as going up in the world.The reason he should be made to leave is that he has deliberately played the fans for patsies this summer. He hasn’t signed a single person of note and the bids he has made have ensured that he won’t. He could buy Fellaini tomorrow if he activated the release clause. He knows that, I know that and so does everyone else. Either he thinks that Man Utd would only activate it to spite Arsenal, or he thinks Fellaini would refuse to sign (odd since his mate Arteta did) or he would rather Fellaini stayed at Everton than risk letting Man Utd get him. He could buy Ashley Williams today if he just stumped up the cash. He knows it, I know it and so does everyone else. He knows Vermaelen is injured for the start of the season, so what is he waiting for? I can only conclude that he has some youngster he wants to blood in the side. Well, with Koscielny pulling up lame (or was that a stunt to create news copy?), they may very well be starting the first match. He could buy Julio Cesar today if he paid him £50k a week. If Diaby is worth £50k a week injured for 5 years, if Djourou got a £50k a week new contract for bugger all, Cesar is worth £50k a week fit. End of discussion. If Wenger says otherwise, he’s off with the fairies. One can only conclude that he doesn’t want to sign him. Well, Reina is more likely to go to a Spanish manager who bought him before than to a Frenchman who might bench him to fuck up Spanish preparations for the World Cup, so I don’t see a deal there somehow. Would he bench Cesar as a corrupt Frenchman looking to kibosh Brazilian preparations?? Perhaps a real journalist with balls should ask him…….He’s not going to get Christian Benteke, he’s not going to get Lars Bender, he won’t get Lewandowski. They’re simply not going anywhere this summer.Jose will apparently spend everything on Rooney, which suggests that Rooney rates Mourinho more than he rates Wenger, since playing with Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott is probably better preparation for 2014 than playing with Ashley Cole, John Terry and Frank Lampard (assuming they get on the pitch). Or it suggests that the Press just print lies week in week out to spite Arsenal!! Again, we’re assuming that things really are beyond recall at Man Utd, which with a £100m war chest may not worry David Moyes that much. Who knows with the Higuain story?? Most likely Florentino Perez swinging his big dick around to prove he’s top dog in European transfer dealings. Or it could just be one long litany of press lies to put Higuain in play for the Italian mafia, with whom Britain apparently has such close ties…..I don’t think that the Commercial team should get a bonus this year if they don’t sign anyone though. Arsenal FC is after all supposed to be a FOOTBALL club…..can’t be dishing out bonuses to teams who can’t get a single transfer of any substance done.All I have said is a series of comments based on Press speculation, club misinformation and interpretation of situations without definitive sources.In no way should it be interpreted as anything but wanting to see good signings happen.It should also, however, be interpreted as a refusal by any sentient, self-respecting supporter to say ‘Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full sir!’ when confronted with statements which history proves repeatedly to be, at their most generous, described as slightly wide of the mark…………….

Great post, I really think many People here underestimate the effect it can have on a Squad to stay together and be United as a team. The reason we havent won anything the last 8 years isnt because we havent signed any big names, it is because the players AW have produced and developed havent been loyal enough to stay and win a trophy. But as I have said here before AW isnt stupid, i am 100% sure that he will sign a striker this summer, but i am not sure that this striker will automatically get Ahead of Giroud.

My major grouse with the one trick pony bloviating AAA squad is their presumption that they and they alone know what is wrong with Arsenal and the solution. Go to any football blog (not just Arsenal’s) and you’ll find some morons sanctimoniously yapping about how Arsenal can start winning trophies again. The reason why they are so annoying? They always have the same solution: splash the cash! Jeez, if only those in charge of running the club are as smart as the “Internet Saviours of Arsenal”. If only!

Every loser with Internet access is an expert on Arsenal FC now. I have Arsenal supporting friends with different opinions on how to move the club forward. None, however, get themselves worked up like some around here. I guess it’s because they all have fairly good lives and do not need Arsena’s trophies to validate themselves.

@ Stuart – I think some of the money went on the contract renewals as well.

@ Edda – I agree with you, team spirit, familiarity, belief and confidence are necessary ingredients to create a winning mentalitiy which is needed even before a ball is kicked.

I just read that David Moyes said he used to go to Old Trafford and ‘hope to get out of there alive’, which explains why he lost so many big games and the Merseyside derby so often, he lacks a winning mentality. Fortunately in Arsene Wenger we have that, he puts teams together that he believes can take on any team and win.

—My red rag to a bull statement——
At Arsenal we are so fortunate to have an amazing manager with a strong character and who works hard to instill this in his players. I love that guy, I really hope he stays on for a while yet.

Goona Gal, all the indications are that Wenger should be with us for a while yet, he wants to stay it seems, the board certainly want him to renew, Usmanov is on record as a supporter of Wenger… in the likely event his influence grows, a very sizable portion of the fans want him, a portion that will grow as we compete more and reach out world wide. And if recent comments are anything to go by, the players seem pretty happy with Wenger as well. All seems in place for at least a 3 year deal to me.

I note with some concern that, a certain person from le-grove, has shown Mr Ivan Gazidis, to be a LIAR!

The le-grove emigrant (?), of course, missed the question completely!

Richard Clarke has quoted Mr Gazidis as saying “…. property debt free (in essence)… It means that sales on the remaining property developments that we have in and around the south side of the stadium will be pure profit to the Club that will come into the group and be available for use”.

THAT COMMENT “pure profit” is a lie. The flats require fitting out etc., and from the specifications in the brochures, eye-watering!

Did Richard Clarke quote Mr. Gazidis correctly? I would suggest that Mr Gazidis has been misquoted.

The Executive Committee of the Arsenal Supporters Trust, have had an Agenda since the change of ownership. That Agenda is to prove that The Arsenal have cash and are refusing to spend it on transfers.

The £70 millions transfer piffle comes from the AST. Check out their site and download the piffle.

The pet parrot is told what to say, and we know which Committee Member of the AST, that is!

Mr. Attwood and Walter, the abuse you are given by the misguided fans (?) is uncalled for. You are both expressing opinions, that certain readers, find disturbing for their fragile mental health!

@ Gunz – haha, what kind of human being reads stuff written by ‘our Rhys’ and then actually plagiarizes it? That is a special kind of crazy. At least with Rhys, I knew his thoughts were his own.

I think it was Nietzsche that said ‘if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you’. As suspected a while back, I think joe is beyond our help and there can be no reasoning with him.

Just got back for my 2nd visit today and see that good ol’ Theo Theo is still banging away. That’s since before 9.00 this morning. Give the guy a prize for endurance. Coincidental that the schools are breaking up this week?

Yeeesss, If you are Kroenke and Wenger, surely there is…
So, you just dance according to the music Wenger plays.

If he buys Higuaín,Suarez and Fellaini……he’s a genius.
If he buys only Higuaín….he’s a genius.
If he signs unproven young players like Sanogo—-he is a genius.
If he signs no player….he is a genius.
If he underpays top players he’s a genius.
If he overpays shite players who can’t even make the bench—–he is a genius.
If he wins major trophies every season…. he is a genius.
If he wins sod all for almost a decade….he is a genius.
If he wins the 4th place trophy….he’s a genius.
If he wins the 7th place trophy he is a genius.
If he qualifies every season for UCL….he is a genius.
If he qualifies every single season for Europa…. he is a genius.
If he spends what the club can afford to compete for trophies….he is genius.
If he spends nothing and let the interest rate in the bank do the talking… he is a greedy genius.
If the team make silly mistakes in defence….Wenger is still a genius.
If The team strugle to score because they are predictable and lack creativity…..Wenger is a genius.
If Arsenal score 4 goals and still allow the opposition to come back into the game… No worries, Wenger is a genius.
If he plays nice attacking football he is a genius.
If he plays a boring Tony Pulis football style…he is a bloody genius.
Arsenal under Wenger can do no wrong. This is the music we shall dance, isn’t it?
I see Untold have already changed their tune about transfers…
What did it happen? No more enthusiastic talks about the signing of Higuaín.
YES, because it’s clear now that Wenger will sign no player worth mentioning. Let’s blame the media for misleading us all. Let’s forget all the talks Gazidis and Wenger spouted to fool the fans once again. ‘ARSENAL HAVE MONEY TO COMPETE’ LOL!
Everyone knows Arsenal have money to compete, to challenge, however some fans were fooled again expecting the club to spend some of that money, signing at least one top player. Talk is cheap that’s why Wenger and Gazidis are always trotting out utter bulls*it. No accountability, then they won’t pay the price for all that convenient ‘misinformation'(euphemism). Especially with some fan already making excuses for them. Pathetic!
Hoarding money is the Arsenal way, the corporate business that Arsenal have become. No desire to challenge for trophies. Get used to it and continue to delude yourselves into thinking Wenger and Kroenke actually care for the fans.

To add: If Arsenal finish only one point ahead of Spuds even with a bigger wage bill….then he is a genius.
If Arsenal finish 20 points behind spuds even with more resources——Wenger will still be a genius.

To be fair, you have made me smile because you say you are supporting Arsenal for 40 years which must make you at least in your late 40’s or possibly in your early 50’s. And this i refuse to believe. We are all for freedom of speech here but you don’t carry yourself very well for a 50ish year old.

Anybody who calls fellow commenters idiots and muppets cannot be of the mature age you say you are. Even the childish carry on of the “1st” and “4th spot” nonsense on Le Grove is not the actions of a 50 year old.

Tony really got you and a few others going here. Even with 5-6 weeks left you are saying all this rubbish. You are saying that this summer is like any other of the last 8 but you are wrong. Firstly it is not over yet. Secondly we have not sold any of our core players from last season. Thirdly we now have a group of still young players who have now played together for a number of vital years and are just about to burst out of their collective shells.

Tony is merely pointing out that we already have the nucleus of a fantastic squad. He even said himself that he’s not saying we shouldn’t sign anyone.

So i have two simple questions for you Oh Theo Theo.

1. Are you willing to at least wait until the summer window closes before you give your hard handed judgement?

2. Are you will to divulge your real age? I have you down as a 16/17 year old.

What I do not understand is most of the top top elite teams. Would take wenger but we have super sophisticates who say he is rubbish does that mean that people like sperez know more than the super powers of football i must be losing it because he sounds like a Nob end to me

@Gunz – truth is I don’t believe joe is Rhys, as he would of gone after Walter like a rabid dog long ago. Joe in his attempt to explain away why he was plagiarizing a nutter, tried to cover his tracks by saying he was Rhys, but the muppet (sorry Ian I do use this word – can you guess my age?)didn’t realise that Rhys is familiar to some of us and also banned!

If Joe would be really R. (he strongly has forbidden me to ever use his name in full on this blog – I’m not joking here – really – 🙂 ) he would by now have threatened me with something and call for my “Belgian” head to be chopped off. 😉

@hervedenerve
lol. thats exactly what untold is. no opinion, wait till wenger does what he does then explain it away as a stroke of genius. now its looking like wenger is confused in the transfer market? write articles on the virtues of not signing players. panic buy 5players @the end of the transfer window? write, wow! only wenger can pull that off. walcott’s contract saga drags for months? keep quiet, wait for the outcome. walcott signs. wow! wenger has done it again… Untold, could you please develop decisions on pending issues? i mean decisions other than “what would wenger do”?

@Sperez I had to pick up on this, I thought some of the ‘genius’ lines were quite funny, but I am going to have to take issue on one:

If Arsenal finish 20 points behind spuds even with more resources——Wenger will still be a genius.

I actually agree with this. In the last 100 years, Spurs have beaten Arsenal by 20 points or more exactly once. It was in their double year (’61), so presumably a good one for Spurs fans. Luckily it was I few years before I was born, so I don’t remember. Never before or since.

Given those odds, Arsene would have to be a real genius to achieve it. (Of course he could have done it already in ’61, but that would involve time travel or managing Arsenal at 12, which are pretty genius in their own right 🙂 )

To be fair I should mention it the other way around, and Yes, arsenal have beaten Spurs by 20 points; quite a lot actually. 30 points as well.

I’m not sure how to measure the biggest gap, because Spurs seemed to enjoy playing in this thing called ‘The Second Division’ quite a lot, and its hard to measure the points gap when they are down there. Still Invincibles year we were 45 points ahead, so I guess that’s big enough.

The font,
Real Madrid WAS supposed to be interested years ago but I know as soon as the rumours spread their fans were concerned over the possibility of that happen.
No matter the nonsense you read in the press, Madrid fans don’t rate Wenger at all.
Even if he ended up there, how long do you think he could keep his job at Madrid? He would be shown the door in few months if he tried to do there what he does at Arsenal. You know, build an overpaid average squad brimming with complacency, showing no guts. And Wenger would be exposed even more by his tactic ineptitude and lack of winning mentality.

PSG is one of the few clubs out there to be interested in Wenger. So all this ‘What I do not understand is most of the top top elite teams. Would take wenger’ is really an overstatement at best.
Did you also believe the load of bulls*it about CBF (Brazilian FA) asking Wenger to be the manager of Brazilian national team?
I’m asking because that nonsense was spread a year ago by the European press and in fact this was not taken seriously by any major media outlet in Brazil.
But the Wenger apologists were in full force praising Wenger for being chosen by CBF. They didn’t want to hear this was bollocks.
Do not believe everything you see in the media otherwise you will be accepting reports about ‘Arsenal ready to spend on top player and challenge for major trophies’ as the truth.

As for other teams interested in wenger, real have been mentioned, it is also well documented bayern were also interested , as were England on more,than one occasion. Do not know about Brazil. But he rightly turned England down, as unfortunately, the majority of players are not sufficiently technically gifted, although AFC are well on their way to changing that, at least with the home grown in their charge

@sperez “Even if he ended up there, how long do you think he could keep his job at Madrid? He would be shown the door in few months if he tried to do there what he does at Arsenal. You know, build an overpaid average squad brimming with complacency, showing no guts.”

Isn’t it what Real Madrid are already? An overpaid slightly above average squad brimming with complacency, showing no guts? According to you Wenger would fit right in.

How come is it that when the pundits and jurnos print crap , they are quoted as gospel truth by the AAA ,but when
I come on this site and post humour , I’m vilified by them ?
Could it be that thay want me off this site ?
Tony , you really should do something about the acoustics in here – I think I just heard a thunderous cheer go up !
Sorry arseholes , you don’t get rid of me that easily !Why don’t you try using you brains or wit ?
I could have bitten my tongue the minute I mentioned brains and wit – you don’t posses either !!

@Gooner Gal, I deplored some of the sexist remarks aimed at you and whilst I am heartened by your knowledge of Nietzsche I’m a little disappointed in your grammar, to whit, it’s not would of it is WOULD HAVE. Apologies for shouting.

Calm down, the sooner everybody on here realises that the man is a con artist with no respect for the people who pay his disgusting wages, the better. All this talk of stellar players was all about gaining some breathing space and selling season tickets. They know £23 million for Higuain and £30 million for Suarez would be dismissed but it means come the last day of the transfer window when we have wasted £10-20 million on a couple of panic buys, he will be able to claim that we did everything possible to bring in “Exceptional” players….how gullible does he think we are?

@walter, I know you’ve been supporters of Wenger for far longer than I have been. I lost it with him when he chased an unwilling Baptista around Europe in 2005 as a supposed replacement for Vieira. Our midfield has been porous ever since.I suspected then that he was either going senile or that he had some project where he wanted to prove that he could make any player change into what he wanted. When you think of the subsequent lamentable attempts to play people out of position, pay average players too much money so that we are then left with them forever, the years where we couldn’t defend corners and free kicks and were prone to counter attacks and the stubborn refusal to change dross like Almunia, Denilson, Bendtner etc, then these are the hallmarks of a madman or a mule. When he shows us that money is available whenever he chooses to spend it ( blind panic after the 8-2 United thrashing leading to the buys of Santos, Mertesacker and Arteta 48 hours later; the immediate signing of Monreal when Gibbs had another injury), etc I feel really angry that he has misled us for so long and made us so uncompetitive. For years now the Board have said “the money is there for Wenger whenever he chooses to use it and on whom.” I believe the Board, I have not believed in Wenger for eight years. The worst thing is that they are about to offer him a contract extension. I do not want that, I do not want him moved “upstairs” to try and exert his influence over anyone else who comes in as manager. He’s done untold damage to this great club in recent seasons and he should be removed as far from N5 as possible- the performances of this £7.5m a year manager are an utter disgrace.Out!